Atonement Scribe Heads East

“Atonement” scribe Christopher Hampton is reportedly penning a new adaptation of John Stein beck’s “East of Eden” with Tom Hooper (“John Adams”) set to direct.

Set in California’s Salinas Valley, “Eden” is a multi-generational story of two families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons, and the intertwining of their lives. The story focuses on twin brothers, Aaron and Caleb, and the rivalry between them.

Ron Howard was previously attached to direct to the flick with “Eden” bouncing around Hollywood for a few years now and enjoying a renaissance with modern readers thanks to Oprah Winfrey making it the first selection of her revived book club.

Speaking about the adapation director Tom Hooper explained, “there is an opportunity to show the sex, violence and darkness of Steinbeck’s work, along with the optimism and celebration of love.”